1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to signs for discouraging unauthorized parking in individual parking spaces, such as those assigned specifically to tenants in apartment buildings, to apartment owners in condominiums, to tenants in office buildings and to company employees, and more particularly is directed to such signs, each having a supporting post resiliently retained in a normal vertical position on a base provided for mounting within the individual parking space area to obstruct complete access by the car thereto, the supporting post being deflectable from the vertical position to an inclined position by bumper contact as the car, in driving head-on into the parking space, overrides the base.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Parking barrier devices for preventing unauthorized use of individually assigned parking spaces, particularly of the head-in angle or perpendicular arrangement, are known to comprise a base for pivotally anchoring the barrier to the pavement and means including a lock and key for retaining the barrier in an upright vertical operative position, the barrier extending to a height sufficient to obstruct access by a car to the individual parking space. When unlocked, the barrier may be pivoted to a horizontal position substantially along the pavement permitting the car to freely override the base and barrier without contacting the bumper or undercarriage. The device also usually includes bracing means for reinforcing the barrier in its vertical operative position and a special foundation for anchoring the base, both of which contribute to the cost of the device and to its installation.
While providing positive protection against unauthorized use of a parking space, these lock and key barriers, in addition to being subject to serious damage and distortion from the impact by cars, either accidently or purposely, have another objectionable disadvantage, namely, the inconvenience of having to get out of the car before entering the parking space, unlocking the device and manually repositioning the barrier to its horizontal position, getting back into the car and driving into the parking space. Likewise, when leaving, after pulling out of the parking space it is necessary to again get out of the car, erect and lock the barrier and get back into the car. There is also the burden of keeping track of the key or remembering the combination.